Charlie Cornish was one of Woodlesford’s characters. This photo shows him with his dad, Ernest Cornish, on the right, and neighbour Bob Muscroft from Green Lea, on the left. Both of them worked at Water Haigh Colliery. Although he didn’t work at the pit himself Charlie had two hobbies which were common amongst local pitmen, football and keeping homing pigeons. For many years he kept the pigeons in a loft on an allotment overlooking Woodlesford station.
Click on the link below to hear Charlie talking about growing up in Woodlesford and his passion for racing pigeons.
Charlie’s pigeon loft which he later relocated to his back garden.Charlie’s wife Barbara on a trip to the seaside with Knowles’s coach from Oulton.Charlie in his manager’s suit is top left in this photo of Woodlesford United AFC. They played their “home” games on the pitch on the recreation ground off Midland Street on land which had been a stone quarry and which had later been turned into allotments. This picture was taken at the “Rabbit Track” pitch in Rothwell in May 1966 when they lost 2 -1 to Snydale Road Athletic Reserves in the West Yorkshire League Division 3 South Cup Final. According to Len Kellett Woodlesford played for 80 minutes of the game with 10 men after losing a player who wasn’t fit to play. The team were also beaten in one of the Leeds and District cup finals in the same season. Standing: Charlie Cornish, Malcolm West, T. Higgins, Frank Bills, Len Kellett, Harold Walker, Geddes Fairburn, Derek Wood, Barry Smith. Kneeling: Colin Roberts, Derek Bell, Jim Butterick, Roy Abbishaw (Capt.), Geoff Wainwright.Charlie took this photo of the The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh when the Royal Train stopped at Woodlesford station.
